Three Seasons

by shakealchemist

Flying into a Tree

Dash was just trotting down the hall after class at school when a familiar talon was placed upon her shoulder.

"Dash! What's up?" Gilda greeted, doing a flip over Dash and landing in front of her. "Feels like it's been forever. You look like you are doing better."

"Yeah, I know. I've been feeling great." Dash smiled.

"Took you long enough to get over that whole love thing. It was making you so lame. Plus now that you're done with that Sunbeam thing, you got your free time back, so we can hang out again."

"Wasn't the whole Sunbeam thing your idea?" Dash asked with a hint of resentment.

"Hey now. I get that wasn't my best idea, but how was I supposed to know you were seeing what's-her-face-"

"Rarity."

"Right, whatever. So to be fair, you didn't tell me some important info, but it didn't work out with her and we both were in the wrong. so let's call it even." Gilda said holding a clenched claw out, looking for a hoof bump for confirmation.

Dash hesitated. 'Should I correct her?'

/// "My Dashie is so sweet and helpful, modeling dresses for me." Rarity told Gilda with a wave of her hoof toward a dolled-up Rainbow Dash.

Gilda snickered and then bust out laughing. ///

Dash hoof bumped her. "Fair enough."

"Hey, speaking of the whole hanging out thing, you down to get some ciders?" Gilda asked.

"Buck yeah! Let's go!"

***

Dash came lazily flying down to the entrance of the Junior Speedsters' stadium. Upon landing, Dash saw Gilda leaning against the wall near the door. "Yo Gilda, what's up?" Dash asked finding it odd she was waiting outside.

"Dash! Check it out!" Gilda held out a newspaper she had been holding.

"Junior Speedsters playoff-bound, championship hopes." Dash read the headline aloud. The picture was of Gilda throwing a slant pass to Dash. "So we made the school paper. So what? We do that from time to time." Dash said looking back up at her.

Gilda smirked and tapped the top of the page with a talon. The Cloudsdale Journal-Constitution, it read.

"No Way! The city paper?!" Dash snatched it away to skim it over. "This is awesome!"

"Right? All of Cloudsdale is talking about us." Gilda agreed.

"I can't believe we got the front page of the sports section! That's the only section anypony reads."

"Should be enough to hype you up for tonight's game. I'm telling you Dash, this is our year."

***

If the Junior Speedsters were feeling it come game time, then so were their opponents. The game was a long series of back and forth scoring with no side being able to pull away with a lead they could keep. It wasn't anything that made Dash nervous. It looked to come down to exactly what she could hope for. While the Speedsters were down only a point, they had the ball with only enough time left on the clock for one last drive downfield. She preferred to have close games end with the ball in her hooves rather than sitting on the sidelines watching, hoping the defense holds steady. They were much better of an offensive team as it was.

And so steadily they worked their way down to the twenty-yard line with some clutch catches by Dash helping them along. Time was running short on them though and after a short gain pass to Sunbeam and a run by Nimble that went nowhere, Hondo made the call, a sneaky go for it all pass to Dash in the endzone. Just what Dash and Gilda liked to hear. At the snap, Dash pulled a quick stop and go route that made some space between her and the coverage. Nearing the goalline, she looked back for the pass and ended up spotting Gilda scrabbling from her collapsing pocket of protection.

'Change of plans.' She knew what Gilda was looking for was a quick short pass. So Dash turned back, if they couldn't score then at least they could get a first down. Dash was fast approaching the first-down marker when Gilda spotted her and chucked it her way. 'It's too short!' Dash realized that to catch it she would have to go on the inside of the first down marker, or did she? Pausing at the marker, Dash stretched out for it, reaching as far as she could. Right as the ball reached her outstretched hooves, she paid the price for stopping as a defender smacked the ball away as he ran into her. Dash was quick to get back up to her hooves as she looked for a flag on the play, but there was none. Dash shook her head and went to the bench to sit as the field goal unit took the field. 'whatever, a win's a win.' Dash thought as Gilda took a seat next to her.

"Dash, what's wrong with you? Why'd you stop and reach for it?"

"Cause your pass sucked." Dash said flatly then laughed after a moment, Gilda did so as well.

"Doesn't really matter. We still got this." Gilda said turning to watch as the players got set for the attempt. It all seemed to go smoothly, but right as the kick was made, whistles were blowing.

Dash groaned. "What now?" She stood as she waited for the call.

"Before the snap, timeout, defense." The referee announced.

"Ha! Trying to ice the kicker on this short of a kick? Like that will work. Twister will just make it again." Gilda scoffed.

"Duh, but hey, you do stupid things when you are desperate." Dash agreed.

The play was reset. Derpy snapped it and the ball soared.

"Noooo!"

"What the f-" Gilda and Dash both said as the ball went over the holder's head and Twister hurried to pick it up. He tried running it forward but was quickly brought down.

"Unbelievable . . . we lost>" Dash muttered under her breath.

"This sucks, what a way to end such a long winning streak." Gilda commented as the defense took the field.

Dash noticed Derpy was the last one off the field. Her head hung low as she said something to Twister who angrily retorted. The rest of the bench seemed to ignore her so she headed further back.

Dash wordlessly left Gilda's side and trotted over to Derpy. Derpy saw her approaching and spoke up first.

"I'm sorry Rainbow. I just don't know what went wrong. I did the same thing as last time and it just flew on me. I'm sorry I ruined it for you . . . and let everypony down." Derpy sniffled, rubbing an eye.

"Well . . . then I'm sorry too. If I had made that catch it would've been a first down and there would've been no pressure on you. Besides who knows, maybe we can still get a turnover and win this. If you want, you can watch the rest of the game with me." Dash offered.

Derpy smiled. "Okay."

As they took a seat, Dash noticed Hondo looking toward them. He gave her a smile and nodded before turning his attention back to the game.

"Rainbow?" Derpy spoke up, snapping Dash's attention back to her.

"Yeah?"

"Is Twister and everypony else mad at me?" Derpy asked worriedly.

"Nah. They're just upset about this loss.'

"So we are gonna lose?" Derpy asked saddened.

Dash watched the other team take a knee and the clock start its final countdown. "Yeah . . . yeah we are."

***

Rarity bit her lip as she paced the hall. 'Why did they have to lose? It's been forever since their last loss, and how it happened. Dash is probably furious.' Rarity took a breath and composed herself. 'The important thing is to calm comfort her. It wasn't that important of a game anyways and-' Rarity was snapped out of her thought at the sound of the door to the locker room closing. She turned and was surprised to see Dash didn't seem upset at all.

Dash looked surprised back at her. "Hey."

"Hey."

They stared at each other in silence.

'This is awkward . . . why is it awkward?' Dash wondered.

"So . . . you seem fine." Rarity finally said.

"Huh? Uh . . . yeah." Dash responded confused.

"I'm sorry darling, it's just that I thought you'd be upset after losing." Rarity explained.

"Oh, well yeah, that sucks and all, but I do have some good news." Dash trotted up to her. "I've been wanting to show you this as soon as I found out. Check it out." Dash presented a newspaper from under her wing.

Rarity took it in her magic and immediately noticed the picture. "Oh, well I'll be. I guess I'm dating a celebrity." Rarity said flashing Dash a sly smile, before reading over the article.

"Yeah, I'm becoming quite the big shot." Dash said smugly.

Rarity lifted her gaze from the newspaper. "Oh? Does this mean I won't be paying for our dates anymore?"

Dash frowned. "Ouch. Way to bring a pony back down to Earth."

"Somepony has to keep you from flying into the sun darling." Rarity said with a smug smile of her own.

Dash kicked a hoof at the ground. "I could get a job. Work part-time to earn some bits for our dates." Dash suggested.

Rarity shifted from smug to reassuring at a moment's notice. "Rainbow Dash . . . I didn't mean it like that. I'm fine with paying for you when we go out. You don't have to earn my love. I already love you silly." Rarity passed the newspaper back to her and kissed her cheek. "Besides, you already do so much. If you got a job you'd never have any time to come down to Ponyville and see me." She added.

"True, but just you wait. Once I'm a Wonderbolt, I'll be picking up the tab." Dash said folding the paper under her wing.

***

Rainbow Dash was feeling pretty chipper as she went through her locker the next day at school.

"Well, well. If it isn't Rainbow Crash, or should I say Rainbow Choke." Dumbbell started, suddenly leaning against the locker next to her's. Hoops was close behind. "You did it last year and you're doing it again now. you make your way onto the front page of the paper and suddenly the pressure is too much for you to take."

"Excuse me?" Dash slammed her locker shut. "That loss was hardly my fault."

"Sure it wasn't Ms.bobble." Dumbbell laughed as Hoops did a mock act of bobbling a ball. "And don't think I didn't hear about you sitting with that retard after she blew the game. Guess losers naturally stick together."

That struck a nerve with Dash. "You take that back." Dash angrily grumbled.

"Why? You have a hard time facing facts?" Dumbbell further challenged her.

Dash got in his face. "Derpy is not retarded! The only loser and retard here are standing in front of me!" Dash shouted, jabbing him in the chest with a hoof.

Dumbbell smacked her hoof away. "Strong words Crash. You gonna back them up with anything?" He used his size to loom over her threateningly.

"Ha! You think I'm scared of you?!" Dash exclaimed with a laugh, staring him down with icy daggers in her eyes.

"Is that so?" Dumbbell stepped back and raised a hoof.

Out of nowhere, Sunbeam landed before them and pushed Dumbbell away. "I don't think you want things to go down that way." He stepped between Dumbbell and Dash, challenging him with his own size.

Dumbbell put his hoof down. "Excuse me? Wow. How sad are you? The reject, still coming to defend his maiden? Didn't you hear? She's coach's."

That made Dash pop her head up over Sunbeam's shoulder to glare at Dumbbell.
"You sure you want to fight in front of your marefriend?" Sunbeam asked pointing past him.

Questioningly, Dumbbell looked over his shoulder to see Hoops. Dash burst out laughing at his expense. "Whatever! I've had enough dealing with you two idiots." Dumbbell snorted and with a nod, trotted away with Hoops.

Dash got over her laughter and looked at Sunbeam. "He kinda has a point there. Why come to my defense? Not that I needed it." Dash asked.

"Oh . . . Well . . . That's what friends do right? It's not like I'm about to let a fellow teammate get beat up. You good?" He asked offering her a hoof.

". . . Yeah, I'm good." Dash said, hoofbumping him. The bell for class rang before Dash had a chance to say anything else.

"I'll catch you later, okay?" Sunbeam said as he started to fly down the hall.

"Sure thing." Dash mumbled.

She had hoped that would be the last she would have to deal with Dumbbell for a while, but it wasn't to be. Before class the next day outside of school, Dumbbell confronted her once more.

"Well Crash, I think we have some unfinished business to settle. How about a competition to settle things?" He asked.

"Ha! What, you need me to beat you in another race?" Dash scoffed.

"No, I was thinking more along the lines of . . ." Dumbbell sucker-punched Dash off of her hooves. " . . .this." He finished as he rapidly punched Dash in the face.

Rainbow put her hooves up to protect herself and kicked out blindly with her hind hooves. A kick landed and with an 'oof' the hits stopped coming. Dash hurried to stand up just to find Dumbbell charging back toward her. She tried to stand her ground, but Dumbbell threw all his weight behind his tackle, unlike before he made sure to pin her down this time. Dash struggled in vain to free herself.

"Ha! Looks like it's time to face the facts Crash, you're nothing. Look at yourself. You can't do anything right. So let's hear you admit. Say it. Say 'you're nothing'." Dumbbell demanded, firmly holding her down.

"You're nothing." Dash said with a smirk.

"Don't act smart!" He shouted obviously ticked off, but then he shrugged it off. "You asked for it." Keeping her in place, he raised a hoof.

Dash winced and waited for its impact.

"Ow, ow, ow! Let go!"

Dash heard Dumbbell cry as his weight was lifted from her. She scrambled to get back up and saw Dumbbell face down in a hoof pin by Gilda.

"Apologize!" Gilda commanded, twisting his hoof painfully.

"Ow! I'm sorry! Please, let me go!" He sniffled.

As Gilda let him go, Dash couldn't help but be impressed by how quickly Gilda had turned the tables on her tormentor . . . and how small it made her feel. 'Why can't I do that?'

"Yo Dash, you alright?" Gilda asked.

"Yeah . . . I'm fine." Dash said looking down. 'He's right. I am nothing. No matter what I do I always mess things up; with school, hoofball, friends, . . . and even Rarity. I suck.' Dash fought back tears.

"You sure about that? Looks like you're bleeding a bit there." Gilda took Dash's chin and turned her head to inspect her face.

Dash smacked her talon away. "I said I'm fine!" She snapped, pulling her head away she caught a glimpse of a drop of blood fall. It hit her just how much her face hurt. 'Perfect, just perfect.' Dash thought bitterly.

"Hey! I'm sorry you got your butt kicked, but don't go taking it out on me. I'm just trying to help." Gilda said sharply and lightly shoved Dash.

Dash sighed. "I know . . . it just . . . I'm better than him right?" Dash asked sadly.

"Duh, at least twenty times better."

"Then why can't I beat him?" Dash cried out and a long silence befell upon them. All there was to be heard were Dash's soft sobs.

"Look Dash . . . I gotta get to class . . . you make sure to stop by the nurse's office, okay?" Gilda told her gently. She waited a minute for a response and upon getting none she flew away.

Rainbow didn't blame her. She wasn't good when it came to emotional feelings either.

***

The next day was practice and Dash was still feeling down from yesterday. She was hoping practice would cheer her up, plus it'd be a chance to improve herself. Though she didn't want anypony seeing her injuries so she figured she'd sneak into practice a little late, with everypony already started hopefully nopony would notice her. So with helmet underwing, Dash trotted out onto the field like it was any other day. She glanced around for Sunbeam and unfortunately for her, she caught Hondo's gaze instead.

'Oh no.' Dash tried rooting off.

"Rainbow! Rainbow Dash!" He called out to her and Dash paused with a sigh. "There you are. Running later than usual? I thought you weren't going to show for a second there." Hondo said with a laugh as he trotted up to her.

"No, I'm here. Wouldn't want to get suspended from another game." Dash said halfway turning to him.

"Are you wearing sunglasses? You know you can't wear those during practice. It's not safe."

"Right." Dash pulled her glasses off and quickly put her helmet on.

"If you're looking for Sunbeam he's over there."

Dash turned to see where he was pointing and started heading that way.

"Hold on!"

Dash froze and realized the jig was up. 'At least I have a backup plan.'

"Turn around and take your helmet off." Hondo told her.

Trotting back to him with her head down, Dash pulled her helmet off and slowly raised her head back up.

"Rainbow . . . what happened to you?" He questioned concerned.

"Nothing . . . I just flew into a tree." Dash excused herself.

"Dash . . ." Hondo said sternly, knowing she was lying.

"Yeah, I know. Pretty silly of me, but you know when you're not paying attention it can happen to the best of us, even me. Yep, I sure learned my lesson." Dash forced the most honest smile she could manage.

"Go sit on the bench." He ordered her and then turned away. "Coach Star!" He called out.

'What does he want Star for?' Dash wondered as she headed toward the bench. Taking a seat, she found herself just watching practice instead of being a part of it. 'And here I thought that having my marefriend's dad as my coach was gonna be cool.' Dash sighed annoyed as she set her helmet and glasses aside. She got bored of watching her teammates practice without her. She yawned and rested her head in her hoof. 'Man, this sucks.'

"Dash, raise your head." Said Hondo a few minutes later. Doing so, Dash saw principal Smokey Trail was next to him.

"Oh my . . . what happened?" Smokey asked her.

"I think it's fairly clear what happened here." Hondo told Smokey, but she kept her focus on Dash.

"Yeah, I flew into a tree. Don't see why anypony is trying to make a big deal out of it." Dash said, leaning back nonchalantly.

"Is that so? Are you sure that's what happened?" Smokey questioned.

"Yep. Super embarrassing, but that's what happened." Dash nodded.

Principal Trail sighed defeated and looked to Hondo.

"You can't be serious! She is clearly lying! Somepony obviously beat her up." Hondo turned to Dash. "Rainbow please, you aren't in trouble. We're trying to help you . . . Is this about Derpy? Was it somepony else on the team that did this to you?"

That was hard for Dash to take and she dropped the act, but only for a moment. " . . . No, I told you already . . . it was a tree. I flew into a tree."

"Look, Coach Hondo, I know it's hard to take. It never gets easier for me. Pegasi can be so prideful and no pony will talk. You can't help somepony who doesn't want to be helped." Smokey told him sadly.

". . . Very well. I see that now. If you could excuse us." Hondo said.

"Of course." Smokey nodded and took a few steps away before flying off.

"Rainbow Dash, that answer may work here, but it won't work with Rarity." He warned her.

'Aw shoot.' Dash swallowed worried.

***

Author's Note:

A bit on the shorter side, I decided to post this as is rather than lose out on the decent cut-off point. saves everyone the hassle of having to wait even later. sorry for the wait, been busy. Hope you all enjoy it. Much love. <3 /D